Things are improving for
the BDCC. New sight-screens are on order and should be in situ by the
end of May; and tonight for our game against
Stags we fielded a nearly full side. Rain was forecast but apart from one
heavy shower, it held off til we were safely tucked
up in the refreshment tent recovering from April-hypothermia. Most of
us had worn 3 layers but manly Dickie Budd just had his t-shirt and his
natural covering (as he put it).

The skipper won
the toss and elected to make the best of the light.

Andrew Paisley
and earth-shaker Rob Adcock put together a useful start before Adcock was
well caught behind the bowler going for a big hit; Paisley went for 9
by which time John Ogle was accumulating singles and boundaries including a
flat 6 over midwicket, and Graham Ferguson was adding his trademark
boundaries in a stand of 44. When Ogle was bowled for 25 Fergy
despite changing his broken bat fell, caught, for a well
crafted 18. Richard Budd went on with a solid 12. Scoring
runs proved difficult on this early season sticky and when Sam Powell was
caught for 2 the tail struggled to find any further rhythm, leaving a total
of 83 which for 16 overs looked marginally below par.

In reply Stags started
cautiously but D. Lanloise accelerated to 22 until
dismissed by a superb athletic tumbling catch by R. Budd at mid-off from his
fatherís mostly testing bowling. Sam P penned down the middle order
ending with 0-14 from his 4 overs and Charles MacAdam
bowled well without reward for 21 off his 3 at the College end. But the
outstanding performance of the match came from Shay Keohane who bowled 5 of
their top batsmen including the menacing Rob Hake and James Dickens with his
accurate off-spin, ending with potential match-winning figures of 5-26 off
his 4 overs.

But, alas, it was not to
be;Dennert. 17 not
out and Habberfield saw them home with about 8
(pink) balls to spare.